Edward t



` :i/SMHH &1.s.w|N.s.ToN. mprovemen in Devices for MakngfEnds of Burial Cases.

Patented May 30,1871.

'nasse Unirse erarns EDWARD T. SMITH AND JOSEPH S. WINSTON, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR MAKING ENDS OF BURIAL-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,536, dated May 30, 187i.

press, having for an internal part a rigid piece or mass, of a contour to match to the inside of the casket end, and an exterior llexible strap or band, Which conforms itself to the contour of the exterior of the casket end. Both these parts are deeper than the deepest coffin end, and the forms are flared, being Widest at the top. By shifting the material which forms the casket end into a higher or lower position in the press it makes a larger or smaller casket end.

We have inventedl apeculiar form of con'- struction of casket end, which is ared, slightly curved at the center of the end, and more' quickly curved at the parts corresponding to the corners or angles of an ordinary casket end. It is difficult to produce such ends of all the required variety of sizes with any of the ordinary means. Our machine has the rigid inner piece and the flexible strap, both correspondingly flared, and accomplishes this difficult Work with great success. It may be also used for pressing and manufacturing various other casket ends or other articles which are curved and are liable to vary in curvature and sizes. The flexible character of our strap allows the same external part to adapt itself to considerable variations in the form of the internal part.

We will proceedto describe what we consider the best means of carrying out our invention.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specication.

Figure l is a central vertical section of our improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

G is a rigid internal mass of Wood or other hard material, which We term a follower; and H is a flexible strap of iron or other suitable strong material. H' is a rigid back piece, preferably of oak plank, to which the strap H is very strongly secured by a series of stout bolts, h. There are screws I, provided with suitable bearings and operating means, to press the parts G andH together, as represented. We prefer to provide the part Gr witha handle at the top for convenientk lifting and lowering, and, when it is made of Wood, to construct its back strongly and slightly elastic, as repre sented, and to case .the front with sheet-zinc or analogous smooth metallic casing, as indicated by g We can line the interior of the strap H-With sheet-zinc or analogous material, to present a very smooth surface with a strong and cheap body of the strap, and prefer to do so; but we do not consider this absolutely essential to success. It is important that the parts Gr and H be considerably deeper than the casket end B which it is desired to press.

In making a great variety of sizes of casket ends We propose to employ several sizes of the machine; but it is desirable to graduate and make a considerable range of sizes in a single machine. We accomplish this by simply shifting the material By up and down in the press. The press being flared, as represented, so as to be Wider, and formed with curves of larger radius at the top, by placing the material B' at the bottom and allowing a little of the rough edge ofthe material to project, if necessary, at the bottom of the press, we manufacture a small casket end. By shifting the material B up into a central position we manufacture a medium size, and by placing it at the upper edge and allowing the raw edge to project a little at the top, still, in all cases, preserving the part which is to form the finished end entirely Within the press, We produce a large casket end, the largest which this machine is adapted to form.

We haverepresented thecasket end asformed of board, kerfed on the inner side. We usually make our casket ends in this manner, filling the kerfs with glue, putting a strong veneer on the inner face, and also a strong and rich veneer on the exterior, and compressing it into shape with the parts G and H, both at a high temperature. The peculiar construction of our exterior part El allows a more rapid cool- Parnnfr @Errea 2 may circumstances render such proceeding advisabie. It is always an advantage to be able to cool or, under other circumstances sometimes, to heat the casket end through the strap H. rIhe thin leXible iared strap H allows of a ready transmission of heat in either direction.

The construction and arrangement of the parts allow the casket end to be easily introduced when bent approximately to the form required, and even if considerably too thick at the parts which are joined to the sides of the casket. Then, when the strain is applied by turning the screws I I, and the iiexible part E .is rgradually tightened, the latter adapts itself to the form of the rigid part Gr, and, by

reasonv of the shortness of the rigid back piece I-I, draws obliquely inward upon the portions f which form the sides of the casket, or which are joined to the sides, so that the Whole casket end is pressed with proper'force and is held in the pressed condition until it cools and dries.

We claim as our inventionrIhe rigid parts G- and H', and exible part H with screws I, for forcibly operating when the parts are ared, as represented, and the. strap H is drawn obliquely inward or together at the sides, so as to press all the surface or' the bent and i'ared casket end, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. T. SMITH. J. S. WINSTON. Witnesses:

C. O. LrvrNGs, A. HOERMANN. 

